New big pickup aimed at U.S. markets / Surprising splash by Toyota among notables in Chicago

Royal Ford, Boston Globe

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, February 26, 2006

Photo: CHARLES REX ARBOGAST

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** REMOVES REFERENCE TO CAR MODEL YEAR- TOYOTA DID NOT GIVE A MODEL YEAR FOR THIS VEHICLE **Jim Press, President and COO of Toyota Motor sales unveils the new Toyota Tundra truck at the Chicago Auto Show in Chicago, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2006. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) REMOVES REFERENCE TO CAR MODEL YEAR- TOYOTA DID NOT GIVE A MODEL YEAR FOR THIS VEHICLE less

** REMOVES REFERENCE TO CAR MODEL YEAR- TOYOTA DID NOT GIVE A MODEL YEAR FOR THIS VEHICLE **Jim Press, President and COO of Toyota Motor sales unveils the new Toyota Tundra truck at the Chicago Auto Show in ... more

Photo: CHARLES REX ARBOGAST

New big pickup aimed at U.S. markets / Surprising splash by Toyota among notables in Chicago

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2006-02-26 04:00:00 PDT Chicago -- This was not how the usually understated Toyota unveils a new product. Normally, the Japanese company does not like to antagonize American manufacturers and politicians by making bold presentations of its plans to conquer U.S. markets.

But this time, there were saddles, spurs, chain saws and barbed wire along with giant photographs of snowcapped mountains and sprawling western plains, and sales projections almost as wide as a prairie.

Toyota goes cowboy? You bet your pickup truck.

The place was the Chicago International Auto Show, and the occasion was this month's launch of the 2007 Toyota Tundra pickup, the successor to the smaller Tundra launched in 1999. The new model is as big as the Ford F-150 and -- with a 10,000-pound towing capacity and a 5.7-liter V-8 engine hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission -- it has projected annual sales of 200,000 or more.

The Tundra is "a big mutha of a pickup truck," said Toyota's Irv Miller, group vice president of corporate communications, preaching in a style that was distinctly non-Toyota.

With a smaller V-8, a V-6, and a combination of doors and cabs, the Tundra by itself presents a solid line of big trucks for a company that, until now, has not really produced such a vehicle.

And planting its stake in the heart of truck country, Toyota will build the Tundra in Texas and Indiana.

Other notables from the Chicago show include:

2007 Hyundai Entourage

The Korean wave continues as Hyundai comes rolling in with another vehicle for another market segment, the minivan driver. And by helping to lead a charge to make more safety equipment standard, it is loading this new rig with lots of content -- the Entourage comes with front and side curtain air bags, and stability control. Priced at about $24,000 to start (there are three models), gear can also include a third row, foldaway seat, sliding power side doors, power driver seats, leather seating, a power tailgate and a DVD entertainment system.

2007 Dodge Nitro

This one raised a question: Can a midsize SUV that is also a hot rod, and looks like a cross between a Jeep and a Charger, whet enough appetites to sell? Don't underestimate Dodge, which has had a remarkable run of success with its 300 series of cars and its offshoots by being aggressive. The Nitro will be offered in three models, with the big performer being a 4.0-liter, 255-horsepower, V-6 R/T model.

2007 Lexus ES 350

Toyota has upped the performance of its entry-level luxury market line, adding a 3.5-liter V-6 with 272 horsepower (that's up about 50 horsepower). It remains front-wheel drive and will sell for $30,000 to $40,000. The power upgrade was necessary to compete against such sporty models as the BMW 3Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Cadillac CTS. Of course, the ES 350 also could compete at the lower end against the fully loaded top of the Toyota line, the Avalon.

2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca

Get over the nose. That's Subaru's message in the redesign and upgrade of its first full-size SUV. The original nose generated controversy -- a love/hate deal.

So it has been toned down, even while remaining faithful to the original designer's intent to make the grille look like an airplane cowl with wings stretching out to the sides. Subaru has added a sporty model with a black mesh grille, and, bowing to customer demand, is making available such options as satellite radio, power seats with memory, a rear-view camera (you'll need the navigation system, though) and an upgraded anti-rollover system with automatically deploying side curtain air bags.